In U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,693, a method and apparatus are described for effective silk-screen printing of a cap of the type having a sweatband and a bill. While the invention shown and described in said patent is extremely effective for printing the fronts of baseball-type caps, there are some painter's caps--which are also caps of the type having a sweatband and bill--which cannot be effectively printed thereby.
Painter's caps commonly have a hem between the top and front panels thereof, and the hem on some painter's caps is located relatively close to the cap bill, such that the printing device illustrated and described in said patent cannot be used effectively to print the front of such painter's caps.
According to the present invention a cap printing device is provided which allows printing of essentially all types of caps having a sweatband and a bill, including baseball-type caps and painter's caps. The printing device according to the invention includes--like the device disclosed and illustrated in said patent--a saddle secured to a frame member and having a flat printing plate which supports the front panel of a cap; a registration plate against which the bill of the cap presses when the cap is mounted on the saddle, the registration plate being secured to the frame in a spaced-apart relationship with the printing plate; and means for movably securing a silk screen to the frame for movement between an advanced position wherein the silk screen contacts the front of the cap mounted on the saddle, and a retracted position wherein the silk screen is withdrawn. According to the present invention, however, the saddle plate has a substantially linear rear edge portion opposite the registration plate. The rear edge portion is shaped--and positioned with respect to the registration plate--so that a painter's cap front may lie flat thereon, with no portion of the saddle plate interferring with the hem of the painter's cap.
Also according to the invention a saddle plate rear blocking member for shaping the top of a baseball-type cap during printing thereof is provided, as well as means for mounting the rear blocking member with respect to the saddle plate so that the rear blocking member is movable from a first position--wherein it operatively engages the rear edge portion of the saddle plate and provides an extension thereof--to a second position--wherein it is completely out of operative engagement with the rear edge portion of the saddle plate. This allows the same printing device to be readily used for printing the fronts of painter's caps--when the saddle plate rear blocking member is in inoperative position--and baseball-type caps--when the saddle plate rear blocking member is in operative association with the saddle plate.
When working with painter's caps it is also often desirable to print the tops of the caps, as well as--or instead of--the fronts thereof. In the past, it has been known to silk screen print painter's cap tops, but this has been practiced effectively only before the caps were sewn together. After the caps have been sewn together, it has been extremely difficult--if not impossible--utilizing conventional devices and procedures, to effect clear silkscreen printing of the tops of painter's caps without wrinkling, or other deformation thereof.
According to the present invention a method and apparatus are provided which effect appropriate printing of completed painter's caps tops. The apparatus according to the invention comprises a platen assembly including a platen having an oval configuration in plan, and having dimensions generally corresponding to the dimensions of the top of a completed painter's cap. The platen includes a smooth hard top surface and a base supporting the smooth hard top surface, and a taper being provided along the entire periphery of the base at the edge of the top. An elongated support member is affixed to the base on the opposite side thereof as the smooth hard top, and is rigidly connected to a collar at the opposite end thereof as the base. The collar is preferably quadrate in cross section and includes a plurality of screws extending therethrough, at least two of the screws extending in intersecting planes, so that the position of the collar with respect to an elongated frame member received thereby may be adjusted.
In practicing the method according to the invention, a painter's cap is mounted on the platen so that the platen is interior of the painter's cap and engages the bottom of the top portion of the painter's cap. The painter's cap is affixed with respect to the platen--as by spraying adhesive onto the platen before bringing the cap into operative association thereof--so that the top of the painter's cap is essentially smooth and in contact with the platen so that there is essentially no relative movement between the cap top and the platen. Then the silk screen is brought into contact with the top of the painter's cap to thereby print indicia on the top of the painter's cap. The painter's cap is removed from the platen after printing.
Utilizing the devices according to the present invention, it is possible to print the front of one painter's cap at the same time that the top of another painter's cap is being printed, with the same silk screen. This is effected by using the platen, and the saddle printing plate, so that they are at essentially the same working height, and mounted on a frame so that the positions thereof with respect to the silk screen mounting mechanism may be adjusted.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the effective printing of the tops and/or fronts of painter's caps, and the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.